Friday, March 5, 2010

Damian Kulash, the lead singer from Ok Go wrote up on oped piece in the NY Times last week about corporate record labels, music videos, and YouTube. Their music video "Here It Goes Again" was a viral video for a while, but their label EMI has prohibited its distribution and the ability to embed because they get a fraction of a fraction of a cent for each view at YouTube.

Kulash feels the popularity of their treadmill video was due in part because people posted links and embedded the video on their blogs and Facebook. He recognizes the importance of record companies in funding music, but their short-sighted squabbles over pennies is a sign of their growing obsolescence.

Well, as you can tell, they made an impact. The record company has allowed them to embed their new video: an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine. You remember these from such great classics as the opening scene of "Back to the Future" and the board game "Mouse Trap." Go OK Go.